Playground upgrades will help children play better together

After the launch of the ‘Play Better’ campaign more than 1 000 playgrounds in Alexandra and other parts of the country are being built from scratch, restored and upgraded this year as part of the Sasko Siyasizana [we’re helping each other] community initiative.

Through what Siyasizana calls ‘the power of positive play’, the campaign has targeted nursery schools in the foundation phase age group of children, while at the same time fighting the bullying scourge that has claimed a number of lives in the country and in Alexandra.

Siyasizana has always focused on building a solid foundation for the nation’s children by providing pre-primary and primary school learners with reading and educational materials. The latest project is aimed at building on this legacy by promoting social skills development, said Nomawethu Ngadlela, marketing manager of Pepsico South Africa in an interview with Alex News.

She said the initiative was on a mission to roll out 100 playgrounds in the first phase through a consumer call to action. Residents can nominate a school of their choice that they believe deserves a playground upgrade.

The winning schools will then have their playgrounds upgraded to the value of R10 000 each. The second phase will then upgrade the remaining 1 000 playgrounds across a variety of nursery and primary schools.

Ngadlela said schools will be invited to collect a specified number of Sasko bread bags to qualify to be in the running for a playground upgrade. The campaign will have mental, physical, and emotional benefits.

She said developmental and social play at an early age can help to reduce the prevalence and impact of bullying by allowing children to develop life skills to manage future interactions with one another.

Details: www.sasko.co.za

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